Living abroad doesn’t end your U.S. filing. It changes it.
U.S. citizens and green-card holders file a U.S. return wherever they live. Done right, most expats owe little or nothing — the exclusions, credits, and treaties exist for exactly this. Done late or wrong, the penalties attach to the forms nobody told you about.
Who this is for
Americans employed abroad
salaried in another country, often with housing and foreign payroll taxes in the mix
Retirees and long-term residents abroad
pensions, foreign bank accounts, and property to report
Accidental Americans
born in the U.S. or to U.S. parents, never filed, just found out
Green-card holders overseas
still a U.S. filer until the card is formally surrendered
Where these files go wrong
- 01
Assuming no U.S. return is due because tax was paid where you live
- 02
Claiming the foreign earned income exclusion when the foreign tax credit would have been better — or the reverse, locked in for years
- 03
Foreign accounts above the reporting thresholds with no FBAR or Form 8938
- 04
A foreign pension or fund reported as if it were a U.S. account — or not at all
- 05
Years of unfiled returns handled one by one, instead of through the Streamlined procedures
Working from abroad
On the U.S. side
- Annual returnAnnual Form 1040 wherever you live
- Exclusion or creditForeign earned income exclusion (Form 2555) or foreign tax credit (Form 1116)
- Foreign accountsFBAR and Form 8938 for foreign accounts and assets
- State residencyState residency — some states keep taxing until you break ties
On the foreign side
- ResidencyResidency rules of the country you live in
- Payroll and pensionsLocal payroll and pension systems
- Treaty and totalizationWhether a treaty or totalization agreement with the U.S. exists
- Local reportingLocal reporting of U.S. accounts and income
General orientation, not advice — confirmed for your facts in the engagement.
What we handle, start to finish
U.S. returns for expats and new residents
Forms 1040 and 1040-NR, dual-status years, foreign earned income exclusion (Form 2555), foreign tax credit (Form 1116)
Foreign account and asset reporting
FBAR (FinCEN 114) and Form 8938
Foreign company and partnership reporting
Forms 5471, 5472, 8858, and 8865
Treaty positions
Form 8833 and withholding coordination, where a treaty exists
Foreign trusts, pensions, and funds
Forms 3520 and 3520-A, PFIC analysis (Form 8621)
Catch-up filings
The Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures for people who didn’t know they had to file
U.S. taxpayer numbers and real estate
Coordination with the foreign return
Whoever prepares the other country’s return, we make sure credits, dates, and positions match before either is filed
Three kinds of returns. One team that makes them agree.
We handle U.S. domestic returns, cross-border (U.S.–Canada) returns, and international tax returns. When a case calls for deeper expertise — in any country — we bring in hand-picked specialists who work under our lead. One team, one point of contact, one plan — and returns that agree.
- You know who is working on your file
- One plan and one price, quoted in writing
- Both returns reviewed together before anything is filed
How your file is staffed
- U.S. domestic returnsour U.S. Tax Desk
- Cross-border (U.S.–Canada)our U.S. and Canadian Tax Desks, together
- Internationalhand-picked country specialists, under our lead
- Your single point of contactFairlight
From first call to filed, on both sides
A free fit call
Fifteen minutes. Which countries, which years, what’s been filed. We tell you honestly what’s needed and whether we can coordinate the foreign side.
A written scope and price
The U.S. work and the coordination, quoted in writing before anything starts. No hourly meter.
Both sides prepared together
Each return is prepared with the same facts, and credits, dates, and positions are matched before either is filed.
Filed, and on a schedule
Both returns filed, deadlines tracked, and the next year planned — not just the one behind you.
U.S. expat tax, up front
Do I really have to file every year while living abroad?
Yes, if your income is above the filing threshold — which it usually is. Filing is separate from owing; many expats file and owe nothing.
Which is better, the exclusion or the foreign tax credit?
It depends on where you live and what you earn. High-tax countries often favor the credit; low- or no-tax countries favor the exclusion. Choosing wrong can lock you in, so we model both before filing.
I haven’t filed in years. What now?
The Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures — three years of returns and six years of foreign-account reports, with penalties waived when the failure wasn’t willful. Most expat catch-ups fit.
Does my state still tax me?
Some do until you clearly break residency. We check your last state before assuming you’re clear.
What does it cost?
It depends on the countries, the years, and the forms involved, so we quote it in writing after a short call — fixed, before any work begins. No hourly meter and no surprise add-ons.
How do we get started?
Book a free 15-minute fit call. Bring your last filed returns if you have them; if you don’t, book anyway.
Ties to a specific country? See our country pages, or start from all international tax.
Filing from abroad? Start here.
A free 15-minute call, then a written scope and price. No payment until after.
The content on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax advice. International tax requirements depend on individual facts and circumstances and are subject to change. Foreign-country rules summarized here are general and change; your situation is confirmed in the engagement. See our full legal disclaimer.